School BUSRide spoke with Melissa Garton, director of transportation for Dickson County School District in Dickson, Tennessee. Garton recently renewed her Certification as a Director of Pupil Transportation (CDPT) in 2024. She spoke with us about why she pursued certification, and the importance of professional development in pupil transportation.
Please introduce yourself and provide a background of your career in pupil transportation.
I started with Dickson County Schools in 1989 in the library. From there, I moved into transportation in 1997, initially as a routing coordinator. My job involved preparing all the boundaries and routes for our system. In 2015, I transitioned to the role of transportation director.
We have 113 buses, which includes special education (SPED) buses, regular buses, and our spare fleet. We have 69 regular education routes—five of those run double routes. We also have 13 special education routes and five midday routes. Of course, we have homeless routes and Sped routes running throughout the day. One route goes to Tennessee school for the Blind in Nashville twice a day.
Our operation is active from 5:30 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. every day due to routes, trips, programs, athletics, and other activities. Essentially, we’re running seven days a week.
In terms of staff, we have around 132 people, including mechanics, trainer, two secretaries, bus drivers, assistants, and bus monitors. Nine of our bus monitors ride along on certain routes. We have around 7,700 students, which 5,500 of those are bus riders. A significant number of our students ride the school bus, especially since we cover some rural areas.
What is the most pressing challenge facing your transportation department?
Without a doubt, it’s the driver shortage and student behavior issues.
To address those challenges, we’re providing more training for our drivers, particularly around student behavior management. We’ve also started placing bus monitors on certain routes where they’re needed the most. Unfortunately, I only have nine monitors, but we could use 63 more. Over the years, we’ve implemented a step-based disciplinary procedure for students. For example, after a first incident, they receive a certain consequence, which escalates with each additional incident up to a 10-day suspension. This ensures consistency across schools. However, the driver shortage remains our biggest issue.
In Dickson County, we used to have many moms and farmers who could do the bus routes, go home during the day, and return for the afternoon route. Our district offers insurance for full-time drivers, which is a big draw. But now, fewer people have that flexibility. Many moms work two jobs to support their families, and we don’t have as many farmers anymore.
We’ve also seen many drivers retire. Some take up driving after a 30-year career elsewhere, often for insurance or just something to do. But after 10 years, many are ready to fully retire. I even have drivers here who’ve been driving for 50 years.
We’ve had three drivers inducted into the TAPT Hall of Fame for 50 years of service. That’s a huge milestone for us in Dickson County.
Why did you originally pursue your NAPT certification, and why did you choose to renew it?
This might sound a little crazy, but I started the certification process in 2012. I’d work on it for a while, then take a break, then pick it back up again. Life gets busy, and there were times I just didn’t have time for it. But part of my motivation was competitive—no woman in Tennessee had earned it yet, and I wanted to be the first. Beyond that, the classes were incredibly helpful for my role. They provided knowledge that improved how I managed things. When it came time to recertify, I thought, “Why earn the certification if you’re not going to maintain it?” It was not easy to get and also to continue to broaden my education. Things are always changing and this is a way to keep updated.
I believe the classes are beneficial, not just for transportation directors but also for office staff and mechanics. I’m considering enrolling some of my staff in those classes as well.
I have to commend NAPT for their certification programs. They’ve been doing this for years, and the quality of the training is excellent. Like I said, part of my motivation was competitive, but the knowledge I gained was invaluable.
As a seasoned professional, what advice would you give to other NAPT members?
First, pursue certifications. They broaden your understanding of the industry and help you see the bigger picture. For new transportation directors, it’s essential to join your state’s association—that’s where you’ll build connections and learn from others. It’s also important to maintain strong relationships with your local community, including fire and police, departments because you’ll need their support for training or emergencies.
Transportation can be overwhelming for newcomers. Having a network of fellow directors to lean on is crucial. If you face a challenge, chances are someone else has dealt with it before. Don’t hesitate to reach out. Sometimes just venting to someone who understands your job can be all you need to succeed.
What can the NAPT organization do to best support you and others in your position going forward?
NAPT has done a lot to highlight the importance of transportation. Transportation often gets overlooked, but without transportation, many students wouldn’t make it to school. Transportation is a critical piece of the puzzle, just like maintenance and nutrition programs. It takes a team effort to support students and their education.
Transportation is one of those fields where you either love it or hate it. It gets in your blood, and you always want to make it better. Safety is our top priority—for both our employees and the students. I have truly enjoyed my career in Transportation and with my school system. Transportation is different adventure every day.